By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – James Jenkins, the new Louisiana Baptist missions and ministry team director, shared a God-sized vision to help advance the Kingdom by one percent and lead the way to having a 2000-church state conven­tion by 2033. Jenkins, who has served in the interim role since John Hebert retired from the posi­tion in late December 2022, was approved for the role on a permanent basis by the Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board during a Sept. 26 meeting. “I’ve been in this work for a while, so it’s not brand new to me,” Jenkins told the Baptist Message. “But I am excited to have that sense of stability. I now have been given the opportunity to impact the Kingdom in ways I’ve always wanted to. “I want to thank Dr. Steve Horn, Louisiana Baptist Executive Director, and the Executive Board of the Louisiana Baptist Convention for the opportunity to serve in this position,” he contin­ued. “I’m very mindful of the privilege of serving in this role and want to make sure Louisiana Baptists get a big return on investment.” “I want to also thank the men and women who serve on the mission and ministry team. We are dedicated team serve through women minis­tries, disaster … [Read more...]

EDITOR’S NOTE: Do you have a Revival, Homecoming, a new pastor, a community outreach or a concert? The Baptist Message would love to share your church news with the rest of the state. It is very easy to do, just send in your informa­tion (who, what, where and when) to philip@baptistmes­sage.com or call 318.449.4345. To get your event in the paper, please submit your information three to four weeks prior to the event. ON THE MOVE Jerry Masters retiring as pastor at Red River Baptist Church Jack Norman is the new pastor at The Well, Monroe. HOMECOMING Welcome Home Baptist Church, Dodson: Homecoming service, October 8, 10:30 a.m. with Sanctuary Quartet. Pas­tor: Charles Wesley. Brushy Creek Missionary Baptist Church, Bancroft: 149th Year Homecoming, October 8, 10 a.m. – til. Speaker: Robet Gillis. Please bring your favorite covered dish for fellow­ship lunch. If you have any questions call Mike Streams 337.287.8367 or Velma Suchanek, 337.842.1569. Unity Baptist Church, Pineville: Homecoming, October 8, 11 a.m. Sunday school starts at 10 a.m. A meal will follow the worship service. Pastor: James Brown. Lakeside Baptist Church, Converse: Inaugural Harvest Reunion, October 14, noon until. Church members and … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) – Louisiana Christian University dedicated the Joshua D. Perry Prayer Garden, Oct. 3. Located behind Guinn Auditorium, the prayer garden was constructed in memory of Joshua D. Perry (the son of former LCU trustee J.D. Perry), who was killed in an automobile accident on March 13, 2021. The prayer garden includes a 15-foot cross that is lit 24 hours a day, a waterfall and 12 stones representing the 12 tribes of Israel. The landscape architect on the project was Tony Tradewell, and the builder was GibKo. Landscaping was provided by Mark Brown.   … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief officials have issued an urgent call for monetary and bottled water donations for New Orleans area residents who are being impacted by saltwater in the water supply. The effort, called ‘Operation Living Water,’ is a joint effort between LBDR, New Orleans area churches and New Orleans Baptist Association Executive Director Jack Hunter and his staff. On Monday, Oct. 2, and then on Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the foreseeable future, four drop off locations will be accepting donations of bottled water: -- E. L. Kirkland & Son LL, 295 Booner Miller Rd., Deville -- Rolling Hills Ministry, 3487 Hwy. 33, Ruston -- New Life Missions, 123 South Pine St., Independence -- Lake Charles location, TBD Additionally, financial gifts to purchase water can be given through the LBDR website, louisianabaptists.org/dr. LBDR Strategist Stan Statham said one pallet of water can be purchased for $300 and a truckload of 20 pallets can be bought for $6,000. Statham said First Baptist Church, Port Sulphur, is expected to be the first church to deliver water to area residents sometime in the first week of October. The LBDR Incident … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – Eighty-five couples said, “I do,” again, during the renewal of wedding vows with the witness of the First Baptist Church at the congregation’s Pineville and LeCompte campuses, July 30. Following Pastor Stewart Holloway’s message on the seventh commandment (found in Exodus 20:14), couples stood up in unison and voiced recommitment. Some have been married a few years while others have been wedded for decades. “This was a way to highlight the importance of marriage and why it is sacred,” Holloway told the Baptist Message. “And it showed the younger people who aren’t at the stage of being married that doing it God’s way is the best way. “A strong society is built on the foundation of marriage,” he continued. “Strong marriages lead to strong families that lead to a strong society. We’ve seen the breakdown in family and that will be turned away one family at a time, one generation at a time. This was a way to show that we are committed to marriage.” Blake Fuselier and his wife, Amy, were among those who renewed their vows at FBCP. He appreciated how the event allowed them to underscore that their family is based on a commitment to Christ. “I am not … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptists joined other students from across the state and nation to pray for their classmates and other at the 33rd annual See You At The Pole, Sept. 27. Since 1990, youngsters have gathered every fourth Wednesday in September around the school flagpole for this student-initiated, student-organized, and student-led time of prayer. … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Leaders of Send Network Louisiana, a partnership between the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Louisiana Baptist Convention, have mapped out a God-sized vision to see His Kingdom expanded in Louisiana by one percent over the next decade. If successful, 28,841 of the 4,648,794 Louisianans could turn to Christ through 231 churches planted in the state by 2030 (based on each new church reaching 125 people with the Gospel). But to achieve this goal, an army of supporting churches and new church planters will be needed. “This is an exciting God-sized vision for Louisiana,” Send Network Louisiana Director Lane Corley told the Baptist Message. “We want to see churches assess how they can join in helping make this possible. The next 10 years will be a great time in our next chapter of church planting, and I really appreciate [Louisiana Baptist Executive Director] Steve Horn for supporting this important move in our history.” Corley, who previously served as a Louisiana Baptist church planting strategist, began a new role, fully funded by NAMB, Aug. 1. Joining him as Send Network church planting catalysts are Carlos … [Read more...]